Smyrna times., 1887-01-05
WHOLE NO. l,64l.
AppOquinnimink.
HISTORICAL SKETCH INCLUD1Nc
SMYRNA.

hlsIORICAL SKETCH INCLUDING
SMYRNA.
II may be of interest to some of orr
! readers to have a few words exnloD
"'ory OF our title. The earliest traco
we lind of this name is in the Conno;I
ooOK OF the Maryland Colony, referred
70 oy George johnson in his History ~
Oecll County, Maryland. 1t is here ra-
corded that treaty of peace and amitv
was concluded between the Governor
ana Council of Maryland and the Pas.o
yO"Ae Indians, at APpoquinnimi. Sent
~ 1861. Ten years later it is men
Iionec as one of the boundaries of s.
augustine Manor; and is applied to a
river that runs across the lower nar+ .
New Castle County dividing St. Georges
from Appoquinnimink hundred or
township, and empties into the Della.
ware Bay, some eight or ten miles
ABOVE Bombay Hook. It's headwsters
ana those of the Bohemia whose ont
now Is through the Elk into the Cboo
apeake' approach very near to each
o'her' near the watershed between
Tue TWO bays. Into this part of Della.
ware, MethOdism was introdpood 90
cordng to Ledmun, in 177S. bv a Mr.
urner, local preacher from Naw
Jersey Among the fruits of his min
istry, was the conversion oF -,
Aiiree' who, from a great sinner camo
OUT a useful Methodist preacher" From
'ne meetings held in Mr.. Alfrse,s bonso
"nere was preaching, and a Society
formed Methodism spread to Thor.
oughiare Neck, Duck Creek cross ro.do
NOW Smyrna) and Union. Mr. AIf-oo
was very intimate with Francis Asburv
ana was very successful in establisbing
societies in this region A beginning
was mad0at Duck Creek cross roa5s ;n
I'|9, in the house of James Stepbenso.
ana IN December of the following wear
MT Asbury preached there for the first
o'lne TO about three hundred people
some time after this, Joseph WYATT
VINO Joined the Methodists in 177S and
soon after began to preach. moved into
tne village and opened his house for
preaching. Here he carried on shoe
making, but also did considerable itin.
Grating; and in 1871 his name annears
In the Conference Minutes. Of him
rev. Thomas Ware says, " in talent he
was little inferior to any among us.
and IN purity, perhaps to none. His
were short, but composed of
oI Ihe best materials, and delivered in
the most pleasing manner" Late in
NE ne was Chaplain to the Maryland
legislature. In 1884, DR.. Coke and Mr..
" hatcoat passing through this place en-
route to Barrett's Chapel, were enter.
5ained by Thomas Cole, "a prominent
member of the Duck Creek Societv.n
Two years later, 1856, their first house
II worship was built "a structure thirty
eet square, costing about'one thousand
lollars' and named after Bishop
Asbury, who alludes to it as "a COM
ortable house." Lednum says the lot
N which this church was erected. was
ne gift of Allen McLane, who subse-
uently moved to Wilmington. He
nd his wife were Methodists and had
heir children baptised by Bishop
As6ury. One of these was the Hon.
'ewls McLane, a member of President
ackson's Cabinet, and afterwards Min
'ter to England. Allen McLane and
ther members of his family lie buried
the rear of Asbury NJ. E. Church.
The second Smvrna
hurch was builtEin 1S45. This has
cen enlarged and improved since then.
June, 1900, the Philadelphia Confer
nee held a session in the SMYRNA
hurch, Bishops Asbury and Whatcoat
residing, and DR.. VIM. Penn Chandler.
Three years later, another
ssiOn was held there; in 1920, the
again convened there,
ishoP Enoch George, presiding, and
5ain in 1927, when Bishops George
I'd Hedding presided.-PsninsuIa